Bandra eateries face BMC heat yet again

Five Carter Road restaurants face demolition of illegal parts; residents feel that tearing down the portions is the only way to curb violations

For residents of Union Park and Carter Road, no design suits them more than the demolition of illegal establishments in their area. Hence a fresh momentum embraced by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against the illegal establishments is more than welcome.

Recipe for demolition:In spite of previous warnings, establishments have been flouting rules. Last year in January, BMC (H-West ward) demolished many illegal structures of restaurants on Carter Road. File Pic

Continuing its drive against illegal pubs and eateries on Carter Road, the BMC has issued notices to five restaurants at Union Park, warning them to regularise their illegal structures and the modifications they made on their premises."

"Around five leading restaurants in the area have been issued notices for contravening rules," said a BMC official from H-West ward, "We have given them time to make immediate rectification."

Although residents from the area hail the development, they allege it has come a tad late. "The BMC learnt about the violations a month back, still nothing was done. This is not the first time that these restaurants have been served notices. We have been complaining about them for long, but somehow they manage to stay in business," said a resident from Union Park, on condition of anonymity.

"The eateries were found violating the provisions of the Maharashtra Region Town Planning Act for unlawfully extending and altering their premises. Moreover, a few were found operating the establishment without the required licences, while a few were flouting rules by cooking in the premises," added the BMC official.

The heat is onThis is not the first time that restaurants on Carter Road are facing the heat. In 2010, the Bandra police had forced more than 20 eateries in the same area to shut shop for three days as they were operating without a licence. Also many restaurants faced the axe the same year when the BMC demolished illegal structures that were violating the civic body's open space policy.

Recently, MiD DAY had published an article warning eateries of a looming drive ('Now, Carter Road joints to face BMC heat', December 20) after BMC authorities demolished illegal extensions of a multi-cuisine restaurant on Turner Road in Bandra (West).